Latest stories

How Pakistani Mangoes Became Maoist Propaganda

The regifting of a fruit sparked a political frenzy in a country where they were little-known.

“Bombay Begums” and the Missing Subtext

Billed as a feminist series, the Netflix show ends up serving standard Bollywood fare of wrongdoing and retribution.

Why Bollywood Queens Start in the South

For decades, Hindi cinema has been sourcing its leading ladies from the Southern film industries of India.

Celebrating Women's History Month: 2021

This Women’s History Month, read some of our best stories on icons across politics, music, food, art, business, comedy, and more.

Nearly 50 Years After their Expulsion, Asian Ugandans Still Remember Home

Younger generations are grappling with not only the trauma of leaving their homes, but also their community’s colonial complicity.

“Bhaji on the Beach” and the Magic of Communal Unlearning

Against the symbolic backdrop of the beach, Gurinder Chadha and Meera Syal’s film captures what a single fleeting day of freedom can do for Brown women.

How Soya Nuggets Became a Household Ingredient in India

A strange twist of history made this plant-based protein a feature of Indian cuisine.

Myanmar: A Brief History of Military Rule

After less than a decade of democracy, the military has once more taken control of the government.

Why Brown Moms Love Princess Diana

The South Asian women who came of age in the 1980s viewed Lady Di as both a contemporary and a cautionary tale.

Black Women, Indian Hair

For decades, Indian temples have been selling hair to Black women around the world as part of the $58 million human hair export industry.

In “Namaste Wahala,” the Villains Drive the Story

The rare depiction of Black and Brown love left us craving more romance.

Excerpt: "The Three Mothers"

In honor of Black History Month, an excerpt from a book celebrating the untold stories of the mothers who raised and influenced Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin.

Sri Lanka’s Little-Known Memoni Cuisine

For years, Memoni food remained absent from mainstream Sri Lankan cuisine, but women from the community are changing that.

Rekha, Amitabh, Jaya: A Silsila of Deprivation

Decades later, Bollywood’s most infamous love triangle seems even more tragic than we first thought.

Dissenting Cinema: Why India Censors Films

The Indian government has long been quick to censor content that poses a challenge to the reigning politics of the time.

Deep Dive: Inside the Indian Twittersphere

How the BJP exploited Twitter and created the world’s largest non-stop political campaign.

Nisha Ganatra and the Whole Picture

The director behind 'Late Night' and 'Chutney Popcorn' forges masterpieces by centering the full lives of her diverse characters, not just their identities.

How the Indian Judiciary Lets Down Sexual Assault Victims

Two cases in the past year alone highlight how India’s approach to adjudicating sexual assault is outdated at best, dangerous at worst.

Why Nigeria Loves Bollywood

With its emphasis on family values and forbidden love, Bollywood has long been popular in Nigeria, influencing the country’s prolific movie industry.

How Rafat Ali’s Startup Skift is Weathering the Pandemic

As the media industry contracts, with advertising budgets and in-person events drying up, Skift is betting on its innovative founder.